Olympus The Story of Victoria Oakwood
by Astrea-Selena-Athena
Summary: A demigod story. Victoria, has clung to the fact she's sane for the months spent in a mental home. On this belief she runs away only to find the outside world and her is not quite what it seems. With a unique family how will she survive? Review please :


I have read too many books, too many horror stories. Now as I run through the forest, the cliché victim chase suddenly seemed a lot more terrifying. The forest was old and dark the pine trees let little light through their boughs, but it was more than that that scared me. It was the feeling of being watched, pursued, hunted. I ran faster. I closed my eyes and solemnly wished I had tried harder in P.E, but then I had never thought I would be running for my life. My feet stung as the myriad of twigs and thorns battered my bare feet, my hospital gown was snatched by the hungry hands of the ancient trees. I could scarce hear anything but the thud of my heart. But I heard it with awful clarity: a low growl which promised death and pain. I had never run faster than I was now.

Without any warning the trees stopped abruptly, and where I had thought the forest carried on, a gaping cliff waited for me, its huge maw open for me. At the bottom ran a river, with the sight of merrier woods, Heights had never bothered me, but the sight of the huge drop made my stomach lurch. That was nothing compared to the queasiness instigated through the low animal sound from the edge of the trees.

When I turned, I didn't know what to expect, but whatever I thought the creature would be, it would not be this. For a start it was not one creature but two, and these creatures were definitely paranormal. I could tell from the monster that was growling, with a head of a bull and a body of human. It was growling and its head was bowed as if it was ready to charge. The second was a man, well I call him a man, but he was ugly. Really, really ugly. I mean, words cannot describe the fear and repulsion that built up sickeningly in the pit of my stomach, his face was mutilated and a single eye glared from the centre of his forehead. In the place where his right hand would have been, a menacing blade protruded from the stump, the blade itself was bigger than myself, and he was at least 9ft tall. The two... creatures were closing in on me, the Cyclops had a dreadful smirk his red lips wet and ugly against the fungus skin, more terrible than this was the pointed teeth, sharp and as big as daggers. The maws of the Cyclops opened and in a deep guttural voice in some language, that had long been dormant on mortal ears, but that in my mind, made clear sense "Die."

Fear rippled within me, but anger built up stronger- I had not escaped to be killed by figures of my imagination. The familiar insanity I had dealt with for the last year was nothing compared to the hysteria that beheld me now. But with a crazy rage driving me, I looked inwards the familiar heat built up along my fingers and exploded at the Cyclops, and to my satisfaction, wiped the smirk off his face. With cool precision I Summoned the Water from the moisture in the air. Forming a spear, the Water rippled and moved forming a long shaft with a deadly blade. Before I gave serious thought to my actions I threw the weapon and watched amazed as it arced through the air, finishing its path at the heart of the Cyclops. With one last hateful glance he fell to the floor. I was amazed: I had always had terrible aim in javelin at school. Not to mention I had made Fyre. Maybe I was better staying in the institution.

I had little time to ponder this as the Minotaur was angry, or at least I presumed so, I could barely tell with his animal features, but when he roared and charged I got the he was still a good twenty metres away and trees obstructed his charge. I turned to run, but the ground fell away from my feet, miraculously I kept my balance. _Jump._ The voice came unbidden and uninvited echoing in my head. It was a voice of storms, a deep rumbling. Scary but one I trusted. Turning, I took one last look at the Minotaur and decided to take my chances. Before I could change my mind, I jumped.

I was flying. Not the flying you dream of, this felt like glorified falling . My heart hammered, and felt out of place, not the sense of elatedness and freedom you expected. I felt uneasy and slightly queasy. The Air buffeted me allowing me to touch the ground with awkward grace. Returning to the ground felt safe.

My legs were weak and I felt drained, like I had used all my energy. But adrenaline pumped in my veins. Hysteria crept up on me, and I began laughing.

I really laughed, harder than I had before. I laughed so hard tears ran down my cheeks. I fell to the floor laughing. Today was not my day. I looked and could see my hospital gown ripped. I laughed harder. I had only escaped the mental institution, to discover I really was mad. I had clung to the fact that the Fyre was real, that I didn't imagine it. That was what puzzled them. The Fyre started whenever I was angry or upset, yet it was definitely real and I started it with my mind. They told me I was crazy, and I was. When my parents discovered I was crazy, they had been all too eager to admit to my adoption and get on with their high lifestyle. I didn't find this so funny. The laughs dissolved into sobs.

* * *

There she was. Her wild hair was crackling with electricity the curls sliding all the way down her back. Her hair was no discernable colour, as was her skin, this strange metamorphism, Marked her, she would not take her true form yet, maybe not for generations. I looked at my cousin, so afraid, alone. She reminded much of my uncle, but I could also sense my legacy within her, Power ran through her veins, some that resounded through me answered her call, my father had gifted her generously. Her strange gown made me angry, I knew what it meant, what the humans had done to her. I vowed there and then I would protect her.

* * *

I looked up to find a boy staring at me. His dark figure outlined behind a setting sun. He looked a little older than me. He had wavy hair, longer than was functional, that waved in a dark mass, the black seemed to reflect many different colours, mainly blue and green. The tanned olive skin looked like he spent many days outside. A smile that could be seen as arrogant stretched across his face. But it was not any of that which I really noticed, it was his eyes. Eyes with unseen depths, with hidden dangers. They were blue, no green, or maybe grey? They were ever changing. Brooding and capricious, a terrible anger lurked in those depths but in comparison they could flash a startling blue, happy, clear and friendly. Oddly I could smell the sea on him, like an aura or scent. I got up, ready to run away, but then he spoke "Victoria" I started, for how could he know my name? Surely I would remember meeting such a stranger? "Who are you?" It was I who spoke, but the words I had meant to sound strong were faint and weak. "I am your cousin, your real cousin." He paused as if to deliberate what to tell me. "My name is Triton, but please, call me Brine." I was starting to feel faint, why was he here? Slowly he backed away, standing on the edge of the river, he raised his hands and the water followed. "You think you are crazy, but what you see is the truth. I am the son of Poseidon, ruler of the ocean, and you, my cousin, are daughter of Zeus lord of the sky, blessed with the power of all the gods." He said this calmly as if he was simply discussing the weather.

The crazed youth took a step towards me "You must come quickly, you are in grave danger. The monsters that are hunting you, will quickly come, with more numbers." Obviously I didn't believe him, this boy belonged to the hospital I just left. But even still I was enraptured by him, and something within me stirred with recognition. "Why are they chasing me?" He seemed on edge now, urgency coated his every move. Irritation casted a harsh look on his face. " The orders of Hades, I will explain all later" He held out his hand to pull me in the river. I hesitated. This boy scared me, orbs of water were rising to his body circling him. I was about to run away when the voice of a thousand thunderclaps resounded in my head. _Trust him._

In a moment a thousand things changed. The first thing I noticed was the fear in his eyes, I saw them widen with shock, then swirl into a steely grey. The air around me got tighter, and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I turned and saw the reason for the disturbance, only to quickly wish I hadn't.

At first I thought it a lion, a giant lion. But with a terrible horror I realised it was more than that. Instead of a tail two pythons hissed menacingly at me. And the legs were broader, with wiery hair, similar to those of goats. But the most terrible of all was the flames curling around the beast's mouth. The Chimera.

I was paralysed by fear, I felt like I had gazed upon a Gorgon, my body felt like lead. I was dimly aware that I should do something but all I could do was watch. Watch whilst my cousin, drew a weapon, a trident from the water and face the creature. He lunged with the trident, and slashed at the beasts legs, but all that served to do was to make it angry, well angrier. The huge cat pounced pinning Brine to the floor, one paw of his was the size of his head. I watched in horror as the Chimera raised a claw to his face, revelling in its victory. NO! The thought came with a punch of anger, he may be crazy but he was still my cousin. Of that I was sure. I yelled to distract the thing, and it worked, but as soon as it turned its head, my anger bubbled up, I let all my frustration hurl at the Chimera, wanting nothing more than to destroy this monster. I watched expecting to see the familiar Fyre erupt from my fingers, but to my astonishment, lightening , pure energy struck the Chimera and it fell. I rushed to Brine, but I could feel the haziness from exhaustion, if I had felt tired before now I was on the brink of collapse. To my relief he stood up, and apart from a scratch on his arm, he was unharmed. The last thing I remembered was going up to him and faintly whispering "I believe you" before the world went black.

"Are you awake?" His voice was concerned, and gentle. I was dimly aware that we were moving, on a white horse. "Yes" I was pleased that my voice came out clear and strong. "Why did I faint?" He smiled "You used a lot of energy Summoning the lightening, it will get easier" I nodded that made sense. "Why are they chasing me? The monsters, I mean." I turned to see him, "Hades hates our parents, he is still bitter about losing" he rolled his eyes. "So he exacts his revenge on the demigods in the mortal world, now I am taking you to the land of the immortals." A smile lingered on his face, but then turned into a sarcastic chagrin. "All though, things can get pretty nasty there. There is no family in the world which can have feuds the way we can" But he smiled. "Where are we? " It had seemed weird to me before about the forest, I had never heard of or seen the woods. And now it occurred to me that none of this existed in the area. "Half –way between the land of mortals and the gods"

Riding was peaceful, and gave me time to think, I had a lot to process. I noticed we never left the riverside, and the horse moved with no prompting from Brine. I recalled from my reading that Poseidon created horses, so I supposed it was natural that his son had a talent with them.

The surroundings had changed while we had rode on, the trees were less sinister. The light that filtered through the trees was a rich golden. In fact golden could be used to describe all the features. The trees were thinning out and left gaps in which planes of wild flowers bloomed. The wood ended and in the clearing, many fine Grecian temples were about. They were made by with a golden rock, similar to marble and they shone. Springs bubbled happily and a handful of girls in togas ran past, looking rather elfin. "Nymphs" Brine smiled and the girls giggled. Everything glowed. The air had a magical feel. I felt at peace, happy. The many beautiful temples , were big, and inviting. I stared as many mythical creatures emerged in my vision as I looked closer. My eyes were drawn to the magnificent building at the top of the sloped ground, everything was built around this. It was beautiful. Everything here was. I took a deep breath, and I could smell the flowers. Brine dismounted everything was lovely, happy. I could sense a myriad of power, welled up. I suddenly felt like I would love to live here. I took a step forward past the threshold. I stopped in amazement. My hospital gown, had changed into a floor length dress, the white toga like dress was glowing. On my back I could feel the weight of a bow and arrows and a sword hung from my hip. And a simple gold diadem held back my unruly hair. Brine smiled as if this was normal, and pulled me further in. , With a great flourish of his hand he declared "Olympus" I stared in wonder and pleasure. It was so amazing. Then as the first pangs of nervousness plagued me I heard the booming voice: _Welcome home. _


End file.
